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Duchess Kate won't quit her recycling habit

Maria Puente, USA TODAY
9:32 p.m. CDT June 6, 2014

ARROMANCHES LES BAINS, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge chat as they attend the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6, 2014 in Arromanches Les Bains, France. Friday 6th June is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. A series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary are planned for the week with many heads of state travelling to the famous beaches to pay their respects to those who lost their lives.(Photo: Christopher Furlong Getty Images)

Duchess Kate just can't break her frugal recycling habit — but this time, we're OK with that.

Kate joined the rest of the royals in Normandy, France, on Friday for D-Day anniversary ceremonies, clad in things we have already seen as recently as April during her Down Under tour.

Kate's thrift can drive some fashionable types nuts. But we're thinking, and the Kate blogs are emphasizing, that she did it to take the spotlight off herself and allow more focus on the veterans she met at a tea party in Arromanches-Les-Bains and at ceremonies on Gold Beach.

Her belted coat, French blue and by Alexander McQueen, is the one she wore for a wreath-laying ceremony in Blenheim, New Zealand, on April 10.

Princess Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, speaks to World War II veterans in Arromanches-les-Bains, on June 6, 2014, during an event commemorating the 70th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy. LEON NEAL AFP/Getty Images

Princess Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, speaks to a soldier in Arromanches-les-Bains, on June 6, 2014, during an event commemorating the 70th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy. LEON NEAL AFP/Getty Images

Britain's Princess Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, speaks to World War II veterans in Arromanches-les-Bains, on June 6, 2014, during an event commemorating the 70th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy. LEON NEAL AFP/Getty Images

ARROMANCHES, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meets veterans for tea before attending the Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Normandy Landings at Gold Beach on June 6, 2014 in Arromanches, France. Friday 6th June is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. A series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary are planned for the week with many heads of state travelling to the famous beaches to pay their respects to those who lost their lives. Pool Getty Images

ARROMANCHES, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meets veterans for tea before attending the Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Normandy Landings at Gold Beach on June 6, 2014 in Arromanches, France. Friday 6th June is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. A series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary are planned for the week with many heads of state travelling to the famous beaches to pay their respects to those who lost their lives. Pool Getty Images

ARROMANCHES, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meets veterans for tea before attending the Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Normandy Landings at Gold Beach on June 6, 2014 in Arromanches, France. Friday 6th June is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. A series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary are planned for the week with many heads of state travelling to the famous beaches to pay their respects to those who lost their lives. Pool Getty Images

ARROMANCHES, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meets veterans for tea before attending the Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Normandy Landings at Gold Beach on June 6, 2014 in Arromanches, France. Friday 6th June is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. A series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary are planned for the week with many heads of state travelling to the famous beaches to pay their respects to those who lost their lives. Pool Getty Images

ARROMANCHES, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meets veterans for tea before attending the Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Normandy Landings at Gold Beach on June 6, 2014 in Arromanches, France. Friday 6th June is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. A series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary are planned for the week with many heads of state travelling to the famous beaches to pay their respects to those who lost their lives. Pool Getty Images

ARROMANCHES LES BAINS, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smiles as she attends the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6, 2014 in Arromanches Les Bains, France. Friday 6th June is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. A series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary are planned for the week with many heads of state travelling to the famous beaches to pay their respects to those who lost their lives. Christopher Furlong Getty Images

ARROMANCHES LES BAINS, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge chat as they attend the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6, 2014 in Arromanches Les Bains, France. Friday 6th June is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. A series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary are planned for the week with many heads of state travelling to the famous beaches to pay their respects to those who lost their lives. Christopher Furlong Getty Images

ARROMANCHES LES BAINS, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smiles as she attends the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6, 2014 in Arromanches Les Bains, France. Friday 6th June is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. A series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary are planned for the week with many heads of state travelling to the famous beaches to pay their respects to those who lost their lives. Christopher Furlong Getty Images

ARROMANCHES LES BAINS, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6, 2014 in Arromanches Les Bains, France. Friday 6th June is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. A series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary are planned for the week with many heads of state travelling to the famous beaches to pay their respects to those who lost their lives. Christopher Furlong Getty Images

(From L) Arromanches mayor Patrick Jardin, Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, French Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve and his wife attend a remembrance ceremony in Arromanches, Normandy, on June 6, 2014, as part of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy. REMY DE LA MAUVINIERE AFP/Getty Images

(From L) Arromanches mayor Patrick Jardin, Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, French Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve and his wife attend a remembrance ceremony in Arromanches, Normandy, on June 6, 2014, as part of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy. AFP PHOTO / POOL / Remy de la Mauviniere (Photo credit should read REMY DE LA MAUVINIERE/AFP/Getty Images) REMY DE LA MAUVINIERE AFP/Getty Images

(From L) French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and his wife, Britain's Princess Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, attend an event for veterans in Arromanches-les-Bains, Normandy, on June 6, 2014, marking the 70th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy. THOMAS BREGARDIS AFP/Getty Images

Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attend a remembrance ceremony in Arromanches, Normandy, on June 6, 2014, as part of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy. REMY DE LA MAUVINIERE AFP/Getty Images

(From L) Arromanches' Mayor Patrick Jardin, Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve attend a remembrance ceremony in Arromanches, Normandy, on June 6, 2014, as part of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy. REMY DE LA MAUVINIERE AFP/Getty Images

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Her fetching chapeau, perched on one side of her glossy hair, was a straw fascinator by Sylvia Fletcher, last seen a year ago when she christened a new cruise ship just weeks before giving birth to Prince George.

Kate and Prince William were among the many European royals who turned out for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, led by Queen Elizabeth II, for whom WWII was a crucial era.

They sipped tea and swapped stories with veterans, toured one of the beaches and laid wreaths, and Will gave a speech paying tribute to those who died during the landings.

Kate looked genuinely delighted to meet some of the old men who survived that day, telling them she wanted to hear their stories.